ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · stem · field · stick · board · arm · deal · race

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. field — for sport
  3. rock — music
  4. board — a committee
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — a contest
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. board — to get on
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. field — a subject
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — humankind
  16. stem — to come from
  17. field — farmland
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com